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I and the bird #98

The ultimate birdlist this week

A new delivery of your favorite birding carnival is a all about listing birds. Nick of Biological Ramblings has ordered the postings both in a narrative manner like a trip report and ending it in a check list containing no less than 190 species of 65 families. What is more, this issue of “I and the birds” is submitted to the Friday Ark #239. What could be more fitting?

Here is the complete list. For the actual reading, well jump over to Biological Ramblings now!

Casuariidae (Cassowaries)

Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius)

Odontophoridae (New World Quail)

Gambel’s Quail (Callipepla gambelii)
Phasianidae (Grouse)
Chicken (Gallus gallus)

Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)

Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Torrent Duck (Merganetta armata)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)

Spheniscidae (Penguins)

Humboldt Penguin (Spheniscus humboldti)

Diomedeidae (Albatrosses)

Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata)
Antipodean Albatross (Diomedea antipodensis)
Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophrys)
Shy Mollymawk (Thalassarche cauta)
Chatham Island Albatross (Thalassarche eremita)
Salvin’s Albatross (Thalassarche salvini)

Procellariidae (Petrels)

Northern Giant Petrel (Macronectes halli)
Cape Petrel (Daption capense)
White-chinned Petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis)
Westland Petrel (Procellaria westlandica)
Buller’s Shearwater (Puffinus bulleri)
Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus)
Hutton’s Shearwater (Puffinus huttoni)

Podicipedidae (Grebes)

Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)

Phoenicopteridae (Flamingos)

Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis)

Ciconiidae (Storks)

White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)

Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)

White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)
White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi)

Ardeidae (Herons)

American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax violaceus)
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor)

Pelecanidae (Pelicans)

White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants)

Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)

Cathartidae (New World Vultures)

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus)

Falconidae (Falcons)

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Accipitridae (Hawks)

Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)

Rallidae (Rails)

American Coot (Fulica americana)

Recurvirostridae (Stilts and Avocets)

American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)

Thinocoridae (Seedsnipe)

Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe (Attagis gayi)

Laridae (Gulls and Terns)

Inca Tern (Larosterna inca)
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)

Columbidae (Doves and Pigeons)

White-crowned Pigeon (Patagioenas leucocephala)
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Inca Dove (Columbina inca)

Psittacidae (Parrots)

Blue-and-gold Macaw (Ara ararauna)
Black-hooded Parakeet (Nandayus nenday)

Opisthocomidae (Hoatzin)

Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin)

Cuculidae (Cuckoos)

Mangrove Cuckoo (Coccyzus minor)
Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)

Podargidae (Frogmouths)

Sri Lanka Frogmouth (Batrachostomus moniliger)

Apodidae (Swifts)

Common Swift (Apus apus)

Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)

Long-billed Hermit (Phaethornis longirostris)
Stripe-throated Hermit (Phaethornis striigularis)
Violet Sabrewing (Campylopterus hemileucurus)
Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii)
Stripe-tailed Hummingbird (Eupherusa eximia)
Violet-crowned Woodnymph (Thalurania colombica)
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl)
Black-tailed Trainbearer (Lesbia victoriae)
Marvellous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis)
Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

Trogonidae (Trogons)

Collared Trogon (Trogon collaris)

Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)

White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis)
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)

Ramphastidae (Toucans)

Keel-billed Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus)

Picidae (Woodpeckers)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris)
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)

Cotingidae (Cotingas)

Andean Cock-of-the-Rock (Rupicola peruvianus)

Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)

Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris)
Paramo Ground-Tyrant (Muscisaxicola alpinus)
Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant (Ochthoeca fumicolor)
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus)
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)
Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)

Thamnophilidae (Antbirds)

Peruvian Warbling Antbird (Hypocnemis peruviana)
Sao Paulo Antwren (Stymphalornis sp.)

Furnariidae (Ovenbirds)

Stout-billed Cinclodes (Cinclodes excelsior)
White-chinned Thistletail (Schizoeaca fuliginosa)

Dendrocolaptidae (Woodcreepers)

Cocoa Woodcreeper (Xiphorhynchus susurrans)

Meliphagidae (Honeyeaters)

Yellow-faced Honeyeater (Lichenostomus chrysops)

Acanthizidae (Thornbills)

White-browed Scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis)

Cracticidae (Butcherbirds)

Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen)

Laniidae (Shrikes)

Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)

Vireonidae (Vireos)

Rufous-browed Peppershrike (Cyclarhis gujanensis)
White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus)
Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons)
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)
Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius)

Rhipiduridae (Fantails)

Grey Fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa)

Corvidae (Crows and Jays)

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica)
Common Raven (Corvus corax)
Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)

Paridae (Tits)

Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)

Hirundinidae (Swallows)

Purple Martin (Progne subis)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)

Alaudidae (Larks)

Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)

Sylviidae (Old World Warblers)

Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
Whitethroat (Sylvia communis)

Zosteropidae (White-eyes)

Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis)

Regulidae (Kinglets)

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula)
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)

Troglodytidae (Wrens)

Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)
Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
Spot-breasted Wren (Thryothorus maculipectus)
White-breasted Wood-Wren (Henicorhina leucosticta)

Polioptilidae (Gnatcatchers)

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)

Sittidae (Nuthatches)

Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)

Certhiidae (Creepers)

Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)

Mimidae (Mockingbirds)

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)

Sturnidae (Starlings)

European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

Turdidae (Thrushes)

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) –

Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)

Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush (Catharus mexicanus)
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus)

Nectariniidae (Sunbirds)

Purple-throated Sunbird (Nectarinia sperata)

Passeridae (Sparrows)

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Fringillidae (Finches)

Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus)
Lesser Goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria)
American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)
House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
Elegant Euphonia (Euphonia elegantissima)

Parulidae (Wood-Warblers)

Orange-crowned Warbler (Vermivora celata)
Tennessee Warbler (Vermivora peregrina)
Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora pinus)
Northern Parula (Parula americana)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata)
Yellow-throated Warbler (Dendroica dominica)
Palm Warbler (Dendroica palmarum)
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Dendroica pensylvanica)
Pine Warbler (Dendroica pinus)
Black-throated Green Warbler (Dendroica virens)
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)
Kentucky Warbler (Oporornis formosus)
Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorum)
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus)
Louisiana Waterthrush (Seiurus motacilla)
Northern Waterthrush (Seiurus noveboracensis)
Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina)
Wilson’s Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla)
Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens)

Icteridae (Blackbirds)

Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus)
Baltmore Oriole (Icterus galbula)
Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius)
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus)
Boat-tailed Grackle (Quisculus major)
Great-tailed Grackle (Quisculus mexicanus)
Common Grackle (Quisculus quiscula)

Emberizidae (Sparrows)

Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
California Towhee (Pipilo crissalis)
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla)
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)

Thraupidae (Tanagers)

Crimson-collared Tanager (Ramphocelus sanguinolentus)

Cardinalidae (Grosbeaks)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra)
Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea)
Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)
Blue Bunting (Cyanocompsa parellina)

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How to become a birdwatcher in the 21st century!

You have to embrace technology, to make someone into a birder!

Birders, how do you promote your hobby among non-birders? Do you tell them: “It is very easy. All you need are three things. Binoculars, notebook and field-guide”?

WRONG!  That is sooo 1900s!

You have not understood the power of technology! As of this day and age – the 21st century – all a non-birder needs to become a birdwatcher are two things.

  1. A 10-20x optical zoom “point and shoot” camera. Forget about binoculars, at least for the time being. Of course anyone sees the birds better with binoculars, but bring nothing home at the end of the day if only binocs are used. A camera is what makes the difference
  2. Internet connection. To share with friends on Facebook, post the pictures on blogs and direct more experienced birders to these pictures for a positive ID.

A superzoom point and shoot cost between 100-400 dollars. With the free google picassa program the “new birders” can edit the pictures. And with a good photo editing software like Adobe Photoshop, he/she can even reduce noice and grain, improve the colors and delete features that disturbs the picture.

The best feature with a camera vs binoculars is that the camera can be used also for other things than birds. They usually have decent macro and wideangle that makes them great to document loads of things on the naturewalk. Additionally, they have a film function making quite poor quality film in small format, but which is perfect to upload straight away to You-tube.
Ask your kid or just anyone what he/she prefers. Binoculars or a 15x P&S camera? I think you already know the answer!

Here are some examples to illustrate my points.

  • A series of photographs taken by Donna Basset with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28S. To show what one can do for starters.
  • Steve Ingraham’s blog on the topic is helpful. Steve uses a Sony DSC H9. Also check Steve’s other blogposts, becuase there is much to learn about point and shoot photography. Steve, quite obviously has a lot of knowledge about photography and uses the camera’s many functions with perfection. When it comes to shooting at extreme magnification you need to know what you are doing for best results. Having said this, these cameras are quite inexpensive, so anyone can learn a lot just from trial and error. And in case you missed this: You don’t have to pay for film anymore!!
  • A large number of incipient birders in Peru post pictures on the pics and files ID-section of my web-page project Birding Peru. Many of them don’t even own binoculars. Scroll through the lists and and you will find many Peruvian ringing names.
  • I have the privilage knowing Guto Carvalho, who organizes AVISTAR birding festival in Brazil to almost entirely to a Brazilian public. Birdwatching was practically unknown to most Brazilians just a half a decade ago. During the 3rd year of organizing AVISTAR 2008 in Sao Paolo, there were over thirty thousand visitors to the fair. Last year was the second edition of the bird photo competition and over 7000 photos were submitted by close to 5000 photographers of 650 species.

    • Birders and naturalists must start embracing technology rather than shun it. It is the only way, to get nature’s voice heard and to recruit the new generation of nature lovers in this day and age. Below are some examples of cameras available from Amazon. The cheapest one is only 103 dollars! How much binoculars do you get for that, I wonder? The kid would be stuck with something, with absolutely no use – except for birding!

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    Defending the illegal invasion of Bosque Pomac – home of the threatened Peruvian Plantcutter – takes 2 human lives.


     

    Deadly start of first day of forced evacuation of illegal settlers with Bosque de Pomac reserve

    Yesterday, two police officers were killed in an ambush and more were wounded during the forced evacuation of some 100 families occupying 1400 ha of the 5887 ha Bosque de Pomac archaeological and ecological reserve. The dislodging continues today. What price are we prepared to pay to conserve Peruvian patrimony? The lives of two policemen seems too high of a price.

    I don’t really want to blog about this now. I am blogging about my birding experiences, mainly from Peru, but also from my travels elsewhere. I was preparing a short trip report about my birding in Southern Florida last weekend, but now this comes up, and I feel a urge to tell the world about a very sensitive conservation issue that unfolds here in Peru right in front of my eyes. Well, not really in front of my eyes cause it is in Chiclayo not in Lima. And I am not presently there. In this time and age it is just as much right in front of my eyes as the inaugural speech of a new US president or the war in the Gaza strip. But, perhaps a bit more present as I have often visited the area of concern.

    Bosque Pomac – a relatively new birding site for Peruvian Plantcutter and Rufous Flycatcher

    In 1999-2000 I was making surveys in Northern Peru, trying to find new localities and checking out past localities for Peruvian Plantcutter that then was categorized as Critically Threatened according to Birdlife International. First days of January, I was invited by Jeremy Flanagan to participate in a short visit to the Prosopis forest of Pomac together with Piura University and their former director Antonio Mabres. At this point after the experience I had gained visiting several dozens of sites, I could not predict presence of the Peruvian Plantcutter by just looking at the habitat. We did not find it at Pomac, but the habitat looked excellent. I said to Jeremy, that it really should be there as well. We did however find another good species here – the Tumbes Swallow – which then was little known. It made it sufficiently interesting to include Pomac in our future itineraries – and with the hope naturally that we would also find the plantcutter here.

    Later in 2000 Simon Allen found Peruvian Plantcutter and Rufous Flycatcher in good numbers during the Kolibri Expeditions trip to Northern Peru. (Find trip report here – note that lodging is now much better throughout the itinerary – see the blog about Abra Patricia here). After our discovery, soon everyone included Pomac in the birding itineraries.

    Taking the law in your own hands- the confessions of a former tree-hugger.

    Conservationist have often taken action against assaults on the environment. Legally, in some cases laws have been breached. Greenpeace is perhaps the most flagrant example. I admit to also have broken the law for the sake of conservation. I even painted walls with graffiti saying “Rädda Hansta” (Save Hansta – see this wiki if you read Swedish.) Yes, I was a tree hugger, and I would proudly have chained myself to the tree if necessary to stop the chain saw. Some things are just above the law, don’t you think?

    Now, I see myself being on side of those that want to move people against their will, for the higher purpose of conservation. The land occupants have been there for seven years. I wonder what human right advocates would say about dislodging families that have been living in one place for so long. If the Peruvian authorities cannot grant these people a dignified living, can they then be condemned for defending “their right” to a home? Why was not the issue addressed much earlier before the new settlers were rooted and settled? I wonder! I don’t have any easy answers of course. I am just putting down some thoughts on paper.

    The new war! Conservationists against illegal settlers in reserved areas. To what price?

    For a couple a months it has been announced that the illegal land occupants will be evacuated. I am not too familiar what has been offered as “compensation” to the dislodged families, but I know the Peruvians in general are terrified about setting an example that will inspire others to occupy land.  After all, this was the working strategy behind the uncontrolled growth of Lima in the 80s-90s. Move with 1000 landless people from your poor village in the Andes to a deserted area, that somebody owned, but that nobody cared about. Put up some basic construction of reed walls to claim your area and little by little improve your house. Soon a new young village – Pueblo Joven – has mushroomed from nowhere in the dessert. By the time the authorities can do anything about it, it shall be too late, and in the end land titles will be granted and sewage and electricity will be put in. And if they are to be dislodged they will be moved to a public housing project. The landless occupant will win, no matter what the outcome. In spite of positive economic growth figures for many years in a row and the fastest growing economy in South America, the people below poverty line are still 39%. While the state cannot provide work and housing, we are likely to see more land seizure by the poor.
    The evacuation was supposed to start today, but something went wrong. So wrong!

    During the past two days I noticed hints that the dislodging, that finally should give Peruvian plantcutter and the archaeological riches proper protection, maybe was not so well organized. There were deficiencies.
    Rob Williams asked on the Birding Peru listserv for donations to buy fuel for the vehicles that were to pass the ditches that the occupants had made around the area as protection two days ago and yesterday Fernando Angulo asks for money to by food for the police on the same list and Spanish language birding and conservation listserv Incaspiza.

    I have no problem in supporting a good a cause. But it strikes me a bit odd, that a political decision is not better backed up logistically.

    Additionally, Tino Aucca of ECOAN informs on Incaspiza today, that they found a backpack with a gun and ammunition inside the reserve when they were doing surveys of the Plantcutter some time ago. So, with this knowledge it strikes a bit odd that there was not more intelligence been made in advance. It sounds incredible that they could send in the police unarmed into an ambush with shooters in the trees. Two dead and several wounded. Is there really a political commitment to carry out the dislodgement peacefully? Or is this a set-up, with the sacrificed police as cannon fodder, to later be able to use much more violent means? Time will tell! The current feeling of the Peruvian people translates to “nuke them”! Meanwhile the latest report says that the police do not even have water to drink.

    The 1000 police are stationed outside of the park does not have an easy task. I can imagine they are being very frustrated in this situation. Additionally, the land occupants inform that they are armed and that more violence can be expected. They have support from Rondas campesinas – armed civilian defence squads of the program initiated in 90s to defend the Andean rural communities from the Shining Path movement – that have arrived from Cajamarca – presumably because of the nexus of the occupants. Looks like we are in for a bloody battle.

    I don’t feel comfortable to send a donation at this point for the cause of dislodging in spite that the money shall be used to feed the police. I made a post to Incaspiza stating my concern, I had expected some opinions against, but not the almost unanimous replies against my standpoint. I even got some glitches that I would later reap the commercial benefits of bringing my birding groups to the freed Pomac reserve. Shame on me!

    If you like to follow the events and you speak or understand Spanish two good sources are the following.

    El Comercio – www.elcomercio.com.pe
    Radioprogramas del Peru – www.rpp.com.pe

    As for alternative birding areas if you were planning to visit Pomac in these days check out info on www.birdingperu.com for Chiclayo area and Olmos area.  There are even complete checklists here.

    I don’t expect there shall be any problems when our next programmed trip to Pomac during the comfortable birding Northern Peru tour.

    Any questions, just ask me on kolibriexp@gmail.com

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    Yellow-browed Bunting in Sweden


     

    Yellow-browed Bunting – gulbrynad sparv – just 3.5km from where I used to live in Sweden

    I find it incredible to read about a new bird to Sweden very close – only 3.5km – to where I lived before emigrating to Peru. It almost makes me want to go twitching – fly the 11 400km to Järvafältet where I used to go birding in the 80s. The Sparrow is still twitchable as it since January 3 to January 13 has been seen daily.
    I just did the flight with Google Earth and great to see these land features. I naturally checked the pictures on Artportalen – the Swedish equivalent to ebird, where I find a picture from my class mate and birding friend Tomas Lundquist. I am sure he does not mind me showing his picture here. I just wrote Tomas to ask for permission. (No see in over 10 years)

    Yellow-browed Bunting, gulbrynad sparv, Emberiza chrysophrys. Photo: Tomas Lundquist.

    Here is the slightly modified press-release from UPI:

    “More than 400 bird enthusiasts traveled to a Barkarby, North of Stockholm to see a rare yellow-browed bunting, a perching bird similar to a sparrow, on the first day January 4.

    The seed-eating bird, which breeds in eastern Siberia and winters in central and southern China, had never been reported in Sweden before. It is a very rare wanderer to western Europe at all, with five sightings in Britain since 1998 along with a few in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, the Swedish Ornithological Association said.

    The pink-beaked, relatively large-headed bird — known for its bright-yellow eyebrow stripe — was first spotted in dry brush in the Stockholm suburb of Norra Järvafältet, the excited enthusiasts told the newspaper.’

    There was a bit of turmoil in the camp, veteran ornithologist Henrik Waldenström told Expressen newspaper.

    It was very crowded and as soon as the bird or someone else moved, then everyone started running, he said. Fortunately there were no outbreaks of actual violence, but the atmosphere was dramatic, to say the least.

    The bird — whose upper parts are brown and heavily streaked and whose under parts are white with an orange hue on the flanks and some fine dark streaks — was still recorded today January 13“.

    Great to see and hear from Henrik and Tomas this way. Henrik was somewhat like a mentor to me, as he was the leader of most of the birding excursions I took in the early 80s with Stockholm’s Ornithological Society (StOF) as a beginner (hardcore) birder. Tomas and I took the field course of Ecology at Tjärnö on the coast of SW Sweden one summer (1987 I think it was). On the way to get there, we twitched a Siberian Golden Plover, which included a rented car and a separate train/bus journey to get to Tjärnö – a significant cost for poor students! At that time it was my most expensive lifer!

    Yellow-browed Bunting  is known with the scientific name Emberiza chrysophrys. The epithet read in Swedish could be pronounced with a Swedish accent “kryss-å-frys” – which literally means “tick-n-freeze” – how suitable!  Temperature in Stockhom right now is around freezing point -and I am enjoying 25 degrees Celsius and am going for a run shortly. On second thought, I think I will content myself with the Google Earth twitch I just did. Brrr!
    Don’t think we shall get a mob of 400 Peruvian twitchers going crazy, if there all of a sudden would be a White-throated Sparrow showing up among the Rufous-collared Sparrows at el Olivar park – around 3.5km from my present home.

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    Birding Carpish and Unchog, Peru in 4 days overland. Day 2.

    Birding Carpish Tunnel

    Since we had such a late night the previous night, we opted to go to Carpish as it is one hour drive rather than going to Unchog which is 3 hours from Huanuco. It gave us some more sleep. Thus, start at 4.30. Certainly, still felt toooooo early. Most of us were birding with closed eyes on our way to Carpish, as it was still dark anyway.

    Carpish was covered in mist and bristling rain, nevertheless we went up the track by the tunnel. And we started seeing birds: Taczanowski’s (Slaty) Brush-Finch (genetically isolated form), Grass-green Tanager, Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Plush-cap Finch, Black-and-White Becard, Tschudi’s Tapaculo (seen well after playback), Citrine Warbler, Blue-capped Tanager etc. Particularly the Becard was a nice, because it is not a bird I see often, I believe is my first record for Carpish.

    Birdwatching along the Paty Trail.

    Bomaraea sp? at the Tunnel. Photo: Gunnar Engblom

    Hopping into the van again, we drove down to km51, where Doña Inez and Don Cleto lives, just next to the start of the Paty Trail. While Julio was fixing breakfast, we found some birds in a flock moving through such as Pearled Treerunner, Lachrymose Mountain-Tanager, Capped Conebill, White-tailed Tyrannulet and Streaked Tuftedcheek. Additionally we heard a Green-and-Black Fruiteater.

    After our freshly brewed coffee and Julio’s special hot sandwiches with cheese and ham, we headed down the Paty trail. Just as we commenced, Aratinga-like calls were heard. I recognized that rolling drawn-out call of Golden-plumed Parakeet. A group of five. A lifer for all in our party and a very rare parrot. Luckily we got some more observations later furhter down the trail.

    The mist was too dense to be able to do any digiscoping, so I have no bird ph in pootos to show you. Here are a few shots from the trail and some flowers in bloom.
    More birds were added: Crimson-backed Woodpecker, Montane Woodcreeper, Long-tailed Antbird, Citrine Warbler, Russet-crowned Warbler, Gray-breasted Wood-Wren, Rufous Spinetail, Sulphur-bellied Tyrannulet, Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher and Flame-faced Tanager. There were also Plum-crowned (Speckle-faced) Parrots and Scaly-naped Parrots flying over, but they were hard to get looks at in the mist.
    Per and Lena were happy to have spotted Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan. In fact it was Piero, Julio’s son that discovered it. Scott had a fleeting glimpse of a Masked Saltator in the bamboo on the lower part of the trail.

    The Paty trail is somewhat legendary to birders in Peru. This trail was birded by Ted Parker, and he wrote an article together with John O’Neill about the birds along the trail and elsewhere in the region, that was published in Birding in 1976 (Birding (3), pp 205-216.) and the trail is still excellent. It goes from 2500m down to 1700m, but usually we just bird untill 2200m.

    Community based Conservation and eco-tourism.

    At the bottom is the community Ñaupamarca.  Across from the village school there is a good lek of Cock-of-the-Rock and at night the Lyre-tailed Nightjars display overhead. Rarely seen Tanagers such as Blue-browed Tanager, Golden-collared Honeycreeper and Deep-blue Flowerpiercer are also frequently seen here, so it is a shame that relatively few groups do all the way. It is my hope that in a near future it shall be possible to make programs that combine Paty trail with a trail that goes from Ñaupamarca to up to Unchog (stay tuned for tomorrow’s account). If the community claims the Carpish area as a communal reserve, they can then solicit international funding to implement a eco-trekking route and construction of some accomodation at Ñaupamarca. It would certainly become an asset for our birding trips.

    New School project. Photo: Gunnar Engblom

    New School project. Photo: Gunnar Engblom

    The school being built at the start of the Paty Trail will have a an area where tourist can stay, and hopefully in a near future there will also be some sort of lodging at Unchog itself. They mayor of Carpish, Juan Figueredo, recently joined Kolibri Expeditions on a trip to Mindo, Ecuador, together with 2 other farmers from Carpish, in order to see how cloud forests can become a important source for eco-tourism. Originally, we meant only to bring people from Satipo road, but in the end, after meeting with the mayor and him being so enthusiastic regarding conservation, we figured we ought to bring some people from Carpish as well. You can read about this project here, but I will also soon present a updated blog, regarding the trip. That the mayor is committed is certain. Read his opening speech  (in Spanish) at the Peruvian Congress of Ornithology, which was held just as the trip to Mindo finished.

    After lunch, we walked up the road and added Andean Guan and Hooded Mountain-Tanager. Both Chestnut and Bay Antpitta were heard, but could not be lured into view.
    Julio picked us up, and we drove to the dry side of the tunnel towards Huanuco to search for good Brown-flanked Tanager habitat. The bird was located in some 10 minutes after the stop and we got decent views. Also the small hummingbird Mountain Velvetbreast here.

    Birding the dry slope of Carpish mountains.

    Continuing to Huanoco we made a short stop along the road in dry habitat adding Peruvian Pygmy-Owl, Peruvian Meadowlark, White-bellied Hummingbird and Fasciated Wren, but alas not Chestnut-backed Inca-Finch, which was one of the birds that Scott really wanted to see, since he is setting up a project together with one of his students to study the Inca-Finches of Peru.
    Back in Huanuco, I managed to squeeze in a run before dinner.

    A confirmed trip to Satipo road and Carpish is set for May 19. There is also a short trip to Carpish that we run on request.

    Controversial topic being discussed. Scientific Collecting of birds.

    We had interesting discussions about collecting. A couple of weeks ago, there was a post on the Peruvian listserver Incaspiza that I manage about a student that studies birds present in tombs from the Sican culture at Tucume, Batan Grande and Sican. He wanted to set up a bird collection for reference to archeology research. I won’t get into details, as it became a debate that was somewhat heated. If you ever seen any such debate in the past, you know what I mean. However, as pro-collecting advocate in general (as long as the ethics follows rigurous protocoll), I was very surprised to learn that:

    a: How come this field (archeology and birds) has not been developed yet by Museo de Historia Natural de Javier Prado, Universidad de San Marcos, that has the largest collection of birds in Peru.
    b: There is no bone/skeleton collection in Peru as yet!

    This was the background to the conversation and discussions the birding party from Florida University of Gainesville and University of Lund, Sweden. All in this party see the value of continued collecting to learn more about various aspects of ornithology. As the discussion went on we all agreed that not always do scientific collecting follow high standards of ethics discussed in a series excellent papers.

    These are essential starting points to understand the pros about collecting and to kill some myths.

    “The importance of continued collecting of bird specimens to ornithology and birds conservation” J. V. Remsen, JR Bird Conservation Internacional 5(1995):145-180.

    “The importance of avian collections and the need for continued collecting” Winker, Kevin et al. The Loon 63(1991): 283-264

    “Opinion. Collecting and Conservation: cause and effect.” Collar, N. J. Bird Conserv. Internatn: 10 (2000): 1-15

    However, it is necessary to minimize the clashes with the birdwatching community, if museums want to count on some understanding from the same. The argument that the collecting is not hurting the overall population will only become valid when there is no conflict of interest. Scientific collecting can not count on support if insisting in collecting in the same areas as the birdwatchers frequent or if they take specimens of critically threatened or endangered birds, when it isn’t necessary. Birdwatchers will not understand any reasoning behind taking a series 15 threatened petrels of the same species off the North American coast or the reasoning behind having to have voucher specimens for every species in Peru, especially if it is a threatened species, when a photograph or a recording suffice for a publication.

    A sound starting point for collecting ethics would be the following guidelines.

    • Every bird colleted is a sacrifice for a better understanding of the birds. The question should always be asked if it is necessary to collect in all situations. Are there alternative methods that can answer the questions raised? It is important that when a bird is sacrificed that all aspects of collecting are covered.
    • The whole bird should be used not only the specimen skin. Thus stomach content, tissue, skeleton, etc should be colleted. If the collecting expeditions are too centered on getting skins, it will soon be numbers rather than quality that matters.
    • Avoid collecting threatened species.
    • Avoid collecting near the same trails as birders frequent.

    Feel free to comment. Starting point. How to build bridges between birdwatchers and professional ornithologists?

    Gunnar Engblom
    Kolibri Expedition

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    New Bird to Peru. Northern Hawk Owl. Birdwatchers flock to see it.


     

    Peru’s latest addition to the bird list. Northern Hawk Owl.

    Northern Hawk Owl. Peru, NY. Photo. Corey Finger

    Northern Hawk Owl. Peru, NY. Photo. Corey Finger

    Northern Hawk Owl Peru, NY Dec 2008. Photo: Corey Finger

    Northern Hawk Owl Peru, NY Dec 2008. Photo: Corey Finger

    This bird has been seen regularly in Peru, since Dec 14 and has made birders from the US pilgrimage to see it. Few Peruvians have seen it though. It is Peru, New York that is being mentioned, but I thought I just had to write about it on a birding blog regarding Peru in South America.

    Why? Well, I think it is a good opportunity, alas a bit late , to make birders in New York state aware of their “tocayo” (peruvian spanish for someone who shares the same name-namesake) – the land of the Incas and the land of the birds, here in the South. And also a opportunity for Peruvian birdwatchers to learn about birding in New York State.
    Take a deep plunge into the blog of Corey Finger at www.10.000birds.com and his journey to see this bird, and the exemplary way to include the whole family in this endeavor.  I owe to Corey to let me borrow his photos for this blog. Thanks!
    By the way, 1000 birds is one of the most popular birding blogs in the world. It is well worth to check out on its own accord. Furthermore, the owners Corey, Mike and Charlie, organize a birdwatching blog carnival called “I and bird”, where blog articles about wild birds are selected on a bimonthly basis.  I and the bird #90 is just to be released. More great pictures of the same Northern Hawk Owl can be found on Jeff Nadler’s web-site.  Mouth-watering describes the pictures well. Wow!

    I had the title for this blog clear for quite some time, but I needed a way to relate it a bit more to Peru in South America. I had to fish for some info. I would not really call it research or bibliography search, as I did what most people do when they need information nowadays. A google search! Two keywords! Owl and Peru. Corey’s blog scored third place, but most of the other positions were about the awe-inspiring re-discovered and mythical long-whiskered Owlet from Abra Patricia, that now actually can be seen a few 100 meters from the new comfortable lodge at Abra Patricia, The Owlet Lodge. This was the connection needed to round up this blog and take you to the REAL Peru! (Sorry, New York upstaters…you will just have to come down here to prove me wrong, if you don’t believe.)

    Long-whiskered Owlet. Photo: David Gaele ECOAN/ABC

    Long-whiskered Owlet. Photo: David Gaele ECOAN/ABC

    OK, we must be fair, I said the Owlet CAN be seen, but IN REALITY most groups have had to content to hear it, because of the dense vegetation.  However, after recent conversations with David Guevara and Constantino Aucca of ECOAN, the Peruvian NGO that runs the lodge, trails are being put in and there are plans for a platform that in the future shall facilitate observations with minimum impact on the bird.  With only 200 visitors in 2008, the very comfortable lodge could definitely take more visitors, and if managed well, there is no reason why this resource – the owlet – could become a sustainable goldmine to ECOAN’s conservation work.

    The Owlet is one of the least known Owls in the world, and had not been seen in the wild until Juvenal Ccahuana  and David Geale in 2007 stumbled upon one on a day perch by a muddy slippery trail a couple of hours walk from the main road.

    Much of the forest around the lodge has been bought by ECOAN with funding raised by ABC (American Bird Conservancy). It is a beautiful area with many regionally endemic species such as Ochre-fronted Antpitta, Lulu’s Tody-Tyrant, Royal Sunangel, Bar-winged Wood-wren. Not far away, around 1h drive to Pomacochas, one finds the most stunning of all hummingbirds – the Marvelous Spatuletail. The lodge now has hummingbird feeders and bird tables and provides a great asset for all visiting birders. Surely Abra Patricia Long-whiskered Owlet Lodge and the other sites on the North Peru birding route, is a must for the serious birder.  What is more, the lodge provides excelent shelter in luxury, in one of the wettest areas in Peru, where the die-hard birders used to have to camp out. In effect in means that the route is open to visitos all year around. You shall always expect rain and clouds at Abra Patricia, the rainiest months being December and January. But this should not hold you off.  SInce you have road access to drive up and down the road with good birding habitat between 800-2500m, one can almost always drive away from the rain and fog in less than 30 minutes ascending or descending along the road. That said, plan to have ample time in the Abra Patricia areas, because it is truly one of the best birding places on earth.
    I made a very early report on this area in 1998 that can be found on Worldtwitch if anyone is interested. It pleases me very much to see that the area is now finally starting to get attention. More attention from birders is needed. The challanges for conservationists lies further down the road in the Afluentes area, where a whole village practically has mushroomed up within the protected Alto Mayo reserve since 1998. Conservation, environmental education, sustainable agriculture and forestry and ecotourism must be implemented urgently here. The birders can lead the way.

    What was that? What about our birding trips? I thought you’d never ask! Of course Kolibri Expeditions runs trips there. Here are three sample programs.

    Questions? Either put down a comment here or write me a line at kolibriexp@gmail.com

    Long-whiskered Owlet Xenoglaux loweryi. Photo: ECOAN/ABC

    Long-whiskered Owlet Xenoglaux loweryi. Photo: ECOAN/ABC

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    Waved Albatros

    There will be no pelagic this weekend. There is a high wave warning. Click here if you don’t believe me.

    We shall try to see Waved Albatross from the port of Pucusana instead while doing some land-based seabirding for a change.

    Alejandro Tello reports of both Marbled and Hudsonian Godwit from Laguna Paraiso lagoon yesterday. This is very late. I guess they liked it so well in Peru that they decided to stay. Also an Inca Tern fishing over the fresh-water lagoon. Weird.

    Also a report form Charles Hesse. He mentions that the first recording ever of a Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch was made with a digital pocket recorder costing only 499 soles (150 US$) at Radio Shack in Lima. A gadget a lot of Peruvian ornithologists should be interested in. Olympus WS100 (Grabadora de voz digital) is the model.

    Gunnar Engblom
    Birding Peru with Kolibri Expeditions
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    Rufours-breasted Warbling-Finch Poospiza alticola
    Courtesy: Colin Bushell, Toucan Tours, www.toucantours.co.uk

    Birding Peru with Kolibri Expeditions
    More Birds!
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